Covering all the bases with whatever's bouncing around in my head today!

Is Joe Blanton Really The $10 Million Man?

OK, actually $10.25 million. This is the amount that Blanton is apparently seeking for 2010. The Phillies have offered $7.5 million. If the two sides can’t reach an agreement, the case will go to arbitration next month.

Is it just me, or does anyone else feel that Blanton and/or his agent are highly delusional in believing that he is worth over $10 million for the coming season?

Let’s take a look at 2009, shall we? Blanton went 12-8, with a 4.05 ERA. He averaged 6.3 innings pitched in his 31 starts. In his career so far, Joe is 63-54, 4.21 ERA.

Not great, not horrible. What my husband would call “serviceable”. Maybe not so bad as “mediocre”, but somewhere between “OK” and “good”. Since when is this kind of performance worth that kind of money?

***UPDATE***This just in, the Phillies have signed Blanton to a three-year, $24 million contract extension. No specifics on the yearly breakdown, so it averages out to $8 million per year. Still not sure if I think this is what Blanton is worth, but at least it’s closer to what the Phillies were offering, instead of what Blanton was asking.

Cliff Lee, on the other hand, would have been making $9 million this season, had the Phillies not traded him. Yeah, I’m still perturbed about that. Cliff’s career numbers are 90-52, with a 3.97 ERA, and a Cy Young award to his name. And let’s not forget his postseason performance!

So suffice it to say that I think Lee is the superior pitcher, yet we traded him and kept Blanton.

And now I know why.

Over the holidays, my brother-in-law revealed that my nephew has some pretty crappy karma when it comes to getting jerseys of popular Phillies and Eagles players. Quite often, said player ends up leaving the team, via trade or free agency. This happens more frequently than mere chance would seem to suggest.

So what did they get him this year? A Cliff Lee jersey!! And we all know what happened next.

*sigh* If only they’d gotten him a Blanton jersey instead.

(photos by me)

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14 Comments

Hey, if you get him that Blanton jersey, perhaps he’ll have to settle for the lower arb number–and then he can be traded! Hmmm!…;)
That Cliff Lee trade is still baffling to me, also. That had me scratching my head. I guess your FO couldn’t stand prosperity (i.e, Lee and Halladay).

With the way the economy is now, it is a surprise that the salaries are that high. I’m sure that the revenue from the season tickets is down which is an indication. I would have thought that Cliff Lee would demand more than Blanton. In fact, I would have been thrilled to see Lee in Dodger blue!http://catlovesthedodgers.mlblogs.com

Greg – All I can say is that goodness this is NOT the same nephew that I bought the Halladay shirt for Christmas. Though it is his brother; I hope this bad karma isn’t a genetic thing.😉
Mimi – Just have someone give you a Matthews jersey as a gift! (assuming you think they should unload his big contract) I’m always stumped by some of the big numbers some not-so-big players end up getting – they must have really good agents! – but the reality is they are now basically untradeable, no other team wants to pick up their contract. Aargh!

It’s all your nephew’s fault!!!!! LOL. I wouldn’t be over losing Cliff Lee either, although having Halladay would certainly ease the pain. But can you imagine a rotation with both of them in it? Too amazing to contemplate.

Hmm, comments are coming up in a weird order again.
Cat – Though some teams’ ticket sales may be down, I’m pretty sure the Phillies’ are way up after the success of the past two years. I guess it’s a small consolation that Lee went to an AL team, at least we won’t have to face him this season.
Jane – That’s the problem, I keep imagining what could have been. But yes, I’m very happy they got Halladay. Now if only Hamels can return to his 2008 form.

Is he an eight million dollar man, though? That really is the question.
Sounds about average performance for a D-Backs starter…and an average of a quality start? I’d take him on my team. Maybe not for 8 million dollars, though.
Congrats on #63!

Sue!
See? that is why I do not get current player’s jersey. I make exeptions with t-shirts though. I love my Jackie Robinson’s jerseys.
Dodgers just signed Padilla. He behaved with us and pitched well so I like the signing
Emmahttp://crzblue.mlblogs.com/

Caroline – I still think $8 million is a bit high, but he’s a solid middle-of-the-rotation guy, so I can live with it.
Emma – Yep, this is also why I have a generic jersey, with no name or number on the back. Also, it’s too hard to pick a favorite – I support all my Phillies, and I can’t afford to buy a jersey of each one! Good luck with Padilla this year, I hope he works out for the Dodgers.
Jeff – I think most Phillies fans would have rather paid Lee $9 million as opposed to Blanton’s $8 million. I’m pretty sure they tried shopping Blanton before Lee, but there wasn’t any interest out there (gee, what a surprise).

I know the whole jersey feeling. I got a Trot Nixon #7 jersey back in 2003. Luckly, it’s a Boston home jersey, so there’s no name on the back. Later, I got a Curt Schilling road Boston jersey. He retired a few years later. Then, I got a John Smoltz Boston road jersey, only for Boston to get rid of him a few months later. Why this happens to people, I have no clue. Now I’m stuck wearing the home #7 jersey to games because I’m afraid to get another jersey!!
-Hollyhttp://irishsoxkid19.mlblogs.com

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